SSRIs need suicide warning, say scientists

national | consumer issues | news report Friday September 23, 2005 14:53 by Basil Miller - depressiondialogues.ie editor at depressiondialogues dot ie 2 Eden Park (01) 2877782

Case for suicide warnings boosted

Norwegian scientists say the suicide risk involved in taking SSRI antidepressants indicates that warnings for adults are necessary. The research bolsters demands to the Irish Medicines Board to extend to adults the suicide warnings to children (under-18s) included with these drugs, and to make them more prominent.

Norwegian scientists say the suicide risk involved in taking SSRI antidepressants indicates that warnings for adults should be included in the patient information and prescribing information supplied with selctive serotonin reuptake inhibitors. The research, published in BMC Medicine in August 2005, bolsters demands to the Irish Medicines Board to extend to adults the suicide warnings to children (under-18s) included with these drugs, and to make them more prominent. From 1 July 2005, in the US all such drugs carry a ‘Black Box’ warning to adults, the most serious category of warning, that they may have an increased risk of suicide from taking the drugs. warnings in Ireland apply only to under-18s, are not displayed prominently, and are mostly worded weakly and ambiguously.
In Ireland in 2004, one in five to seven adults were prescribed antidepressant medication of the SSRI group, at a cost to the Health Service between €100 million and €150 million.
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